Katie: “For a large part of the journey I felt present; there’s no need to think beyond the moment." (click to enlarge)
Image by Katie Spotz, www.rowforwater.comLINKS
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Katie Spotz and Shaun Quincey finish their solo rowing
Posted: Mar 15, 2010 01:55 pm EST
22-year old Katie Spotz finished her solo row across the Atlantic Ocean from Dakar in Senegal to Georgetown in Guyana after 71 days at sea.
In the Southern Hemisphere 25-year old Shaun Quincey finished his solo row across the Tasman Sea from Australia to New Zealand after 54 days at the oars.
Katie Spotz
According to Katie’s website she rowed the 2,817 miles from Dakar to Georgetown in 71 days. She arrived in Georgetown at 16h20 GMT on March 14.
Katie moved slowly into port due to tidal conditions reported her home team. Her brother and father escorted her in on a Guyana Coast Guard escort vessel.
Katie’s final fears and thoughts
On the second last day Katie smelled something burning. It was her tracker unit that went up in smoke.
Katie said she was glad she extended the journey with 400 miles, “as a part of me is holding on dearly to the simplicity of the sea.”
“For a large part of the journey I felt present; there’s no need to think beyond the moment. I’ve also learned a thing or two about being patient, open, accepting… the list goes on. But with land just beyond the horizon, I’m most looking forward to food and good company.”
Shaun Quincey
At approximately midday March 14, 25-year old Shaun Quincey, finished in New Zealand after 54 days’ rowing across the Tasman Sea.
Shaun’s final row
His on-shore team reported, “After a campaign that was marred by setbacks, Shaun can finally claim to be the first man to row solo from Aussie to NZ after his father, Colin, completed the same feat in the opposite direction some 35 years ago.”
The Tasman providing challenges right to the very end with 3m swells hampering his landing and testing Shaun, the team reported.
Shaun had to cope with a northerly drift. The on-shore team reported on March 13, “[Shaun is] currently sitting 45km off the coast and about 50km to The Bluff. During daylight hours today Shaun achieved 65km and a total distance for the last 24hours of 95km. Currently Shaun is trying everything possible to slow himself down and prevent Northerly drift.”
On 3 January 2010, 22-year old Katie Spotz set off from Pier 2, Port of Dakar, Senegal (West Africa) to Cayenne, French Guiana. In a March 6 update she said she is no longer aiming for Cayenne, French Guiana, but going to Georgetown in Guyana (all South America).
Katie aims to become the youngest person to row an ocean single-handed and to become the first American to row from Africa to South America.
Shaun Quincey departed Australia on January 20, 2010 to follow his father's footsteps and row solo across the Tasman Sea from Australia to New Zealand. In 1977, Colin Quincey crossed the Tasman solo, rowing 2200km and to this day he remains the only person to cross the Tasman solo and survive.
Shaun’s boat is named Tasman Trespasser ll.
Born in an Army Jungle hospital in Singapore on the 27 of September 1984, Shaun moved to North Island of New Zealand to the Waiouru Army Camp at the age of 2 and lived there while his father was involved in a communications program.
At 4 years of age Shaun moved to Devonport, Auckland, which is home to the Royal New Zealand Navy where his father was based. Throughout his life, Shaun has always been involved with sport, playing soccer from the age of 5 until he was 7, when he started playing Rugby for North Shore Rugby Club. Rugby was to rule his life for 18 years, making the first XV at the age of 14 and playing in various age group teams while growing up.
Rowing entered Shaun’s life at the age of 14 years at Takapuna Grammar School, which provided the stepping stone to Surf Boat Rowing and eventually the Tasman Sea. As well as preparing for the Tasman crossing, Shaun is currently studying for his Masters in Business Administration after working in business development and advertising for the past 3 years.
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